For Apple fans, and tech-minded observers all over the world, yesterday’s announcements were met with mixed reactions. Some saw the natural progression and advancement of the ground-breaking iPhone 4 as inevitable, in hindsight, while others were dismayed at the conspicuous absence of the much-rumored (and hoped for) iPhone 5. Whatever your perspective, Apple made one announcement that really excited me (Hint: it’s not the release of Cards).

The unveiling of Siri, the personal assistant built into the iPhone 4S, is something that I believe will have significant ramifications for the future of computing. I can’t wait to actually try it in action! Today I’ll look at some of the amazing features of Siri, and include some thoughts on its significance.

There’s no doubt that the iPhone serves as a general-purpose tool, allowing you to customize it to the way that you like it by adding different apps for different purposes. There are two different kinds of apps: those that do one thing well, and those that try to do many different things within one application.

Is one way better than the other? That’s what I would like to explore with you today.

It’s official, Apple is holding a press conference on October 4th to discuss the iPhone. We’ve been waiting for this with baited breath for months now, and yet today, less than a week before the event, what do we know about the new iPhone? More importantly, what don’t we know?

I had to do a restore on my iPhone recently, and in the process all of my apps got knocked all over the place and I had to reorganize. Being the OCD kinda guy that I am, it took me quite a bit of time to make sure that everything was put in its most optimal location, and after an hour or so of futzing with the interface, I got things good to go.

And then I used it. After a week or so I realized that there are two types of apps out there that sit on my homescreen and every other page: Ones I use, and ones I think I use. Ever run into that problem? So to maximize my layout, I decided to play around with a few different techniques and methods, each of which with their own advantages and disadvantages. If you’re a bit OCD like myself (or just curious), hit the jump and we’ll talk it out.

I was out getting ice cream the other day with my family, and the topic of sharing books came up. My mother loves her iPad, and goes through books purchased on the iBook store voraciously. My father on the other hand, reads occasionally, but sometimes would rather just borrow a book from my mom to check it out, just like he would have years ago with the physical version. Thing is, now he can’t do that.

“The Kindle will let you lend out books, and so will other ereaders and tablets. What makes iTunes and Apple this ‘great’ ecosystem that no one can beat?”

I played with my spoon in my ice cream for a minute, and after some thought I said, “Well Dad, let me give you three reasons.”

It’s Productivity Week here at iPhone.AppStorm, and all week we’re going to have app reviews and how-tos, all based on getting things done. Plus, we’ll even pull some classic reviews out of the archives. Stay tuned all week!

Getting organized isn’t always an easy thing to do, but once you’ve decided to take that plunge, you’ll probably want to find an app that makes your life easier. But do a quick search for “To do” in iTunes, and you’re likely to lose yourself for a few hours in the results. How do you know what to choose for what you need?

Well, there are a few ways to do it, and it might even involve a little bit of experimentation. But if you follow a few basic steps you’ll be able to find one that works for you, and gets you productive in no time.

Although we didn’t get any official word on a new iPhone this summer, we did get word of a new service that replaces MobileMe, costs nothing and adds features, and it’s named iCloud. Seems like a win-win proposition, right?

It is, but some people have been wondering what it really means for them. iCloud is neat, but will it change the way they use their iPhone? Does it make a difference it what iPhone you purchase? Turns out that iCloud is more than just a simple syncing service, and it could just change the decisions you make when it comes time to buy that new iPhone.

I’ve been a car guy for a lot longer than I’ve ever owned anything with an Apple logo, and in that time I’ve used a lot of tips and tricks to get my cars functioning the way I want them to. Then the other day, I was thinking about all of the things that I do with my iPhone while I’m in the car (except for texting, of course), and how much it’s improved the driver’s experience.

So I decided to jot a few things down, and next thing I knew I had a pretty big list in front of me. Let’s get into them after the break.

I went on a business trip recently, and before I left I packed up my usual stuff in my carry-on bag: iPad, MacBook Pro, chargers, a few magazines and of course, my iPhone. I had seven hours on a plane one way and nine the other, so I figured that between all three Apple devices I could be entertained and get some work done.

As it turns out though, I could’ve saved myself a ton of room if I had just packed my iPhone by itself. That’s right, all the work and everything I needed to do to get things done was all in my pocket the entire time, I just didn’t realize it until I was on my way home. It came down to four simple things that made life easier, which I’ll explain after the jump.

I went on a business trip out of the country recently, and before I left I checked with AT&T to find out what my international phone rates were looking like. Once I regained consciousness, I told my family that I would get ahold of them with FaceTime anytime I needed to talk.

And that’s what I did, but after using it for a bit it became … awkward. But why? Let’s talk it out after the break.(more…)